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Friday, September 9, 2011

Review: Time4Learning

This is the second time Unionvale students have reviewed Time4Learning and this time we got so much more out of it. We do most of our school time either outside in nature or around the dinning room table so the boys were excited to try out computer learning again.Time4Learning is an online full curriculum for PreK-middle school. We tried a little of the 1st grade stuff with Nathan but decided we would really focus on the 3rd grade stuff with Cameron.

What is Time4Learning?Time4Learning is an online , interactive learning environment with curriculum that can stand alone or be used as a complete program beginning with Pre-K and running through 8th grade. Course work is grade level appropriate and makes learning even the dry subject fun.

How much does it cost?Time4Learningis a subscription based service that is $19.95 a month for the first child and $14.95 for each additional child.

Is Time4Learning just for Homeschoolers? No, actually just the opposite. Time4Learning is great for homeschoolers but it is also great in a classroom or after-school setting, and is also a great home tool for students that need some extra help or extra challenge.

As a homeschool mom I love when my boys get excited about something educational. This was the case with Cameron and the Time4Learning 3rd grade Language Arts section. The characters in the program were funny, colorful, and engaging. The parts of speech are a hard area to teach. Since the program is online we were able to log on with the laptop or desktop. We even had the option of logging on at Grandma's house which makes it flexible for us.

I liked the fact that I could see if he had completed the lessons in a group or not. If he was having a day that he was struggling with reading the characters offered the option of reading the paragraph to him. This was a huge help for him (he is a reluctant reader, he just doesn't get that excited about reading ). Another thing that really caught his attention was the variety in the fonts. All the fonts were clear, but with the variety he had to focus on what was going on.

We did try the math a couple times and had fun with the money section. We also tried some of the 3 column addition and found he did really well , an area he had been struggling with.

For us, the cost is a little prohibitive but we are seriously considering a subscription to Time4Learning, even for a couple months to continue the positive energy Cameron seems to have gained from using the program. I do like the fact that all subjects are available and it is set up to work at your own pace. We don't have to do all the subject every day, in fact the parental controls allowed me to set up timers to establish his work time and "playground" time.

The playground is available after the set time has been spent on lessons. In the playground there are video games, puzzles, and activities. The playground also has websites the kids can visit. You can follow Time4Learning on Facebook and Twitter as a great way to connect with others who have tried the program as well. One last thing, there is a great parents' community within Time4Learning and lots of parent tools available.

Overall , for the month we had access to Time4Learning we gained a lot of knowledge and had a lot of fun.

We received one month of access to Time4Learning for both boys as part of The Old SchoolHouse Homeschool Crew in exchange for our review of their program. All opinions are our own and no other monetary compensation was received.